Kukla's Korner Hockey

.500 is a decent start for a team that has struggled in recent seasons. The Coyotes haven't been to the playoffs since the spring of '02 — predating the opening of their new arena, the start of the lockout, the signing of the new CBA, and even the brief appearance of Brett Hull in southwestern sweats.
But coach of the year stuff? I don't think so. Not yet. Through those first 18 games, they were ranked ninth overall in the conference, which is just a hair out of the playoffs. If Gretz can nudge them, say, into a spot among the bottom 2-3 seeds in the West, then he'll at least have his name in the running. But just as it was in his playing days, No. 99 knows that everything is measured by playoff success, and there really is no success until the Coyotes at least qualify for games beyond mid-April.
No doubt, there are some encouraging signs in the desert. A few that come to mind: